


Specific Knowledge (Specific Love)

by qwanderer



Series: Fallen!Gabe [6]
Category: Good Omens (TV)
Genre: Fallen Angel Gabriel (Good Omens), Other, pizzelle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-31
Updated: 2020-05-31
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:41:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24474466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/qwanderer/pseuds/qwanderer
Summary: Aziraphale just stood, watchful, and something in his stance told Gabriel that he stood ready to protect the demons he considered his, by any means necessary.Aziraphale had always loved so easily, so quickly, anything and anyone that needed it. Gabriel had always seen that as a weakness. Now, it made him terrifying.Gabriel resolved then never to seriously threaten Crowley. Aziraphale might have adopted Gabriel as one of his own for the moment, but the Principality had made it abundantly clear where his loyalties lay when push came to shove.
Relationships: Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens), Minor or Background Relationship(s), hints of Beelzebub/Gabriel - Relationship
Series: Fallen!Gabe [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1463686
Comments: 8
Kudos: 88





	Specific Knowledge (Specific Love)

“Why do I feel like I want to  _ eat food?” _ Gabriel said, in an incredibly disturbed tone of voice.

“I’m not sure,” Aziraphale said, frowning slightly, “although I’ve always enjoyed the sensation. Is this the longest period of time you’ve spent on Earth? Or the first time you've drunk tea? Perhaps your corporation is acclimatizing itself to the world.” He brightened slightly. “I have some delightful biscuits I’ve been saving for a rainy day.”

“It won’t help,” Crowley muttered, once the angel had bustled off to retrieve the biscuits. “These bodies translate things into their own language, but for a demon, when the body says  _ hunger, _ it’s nothing food will help with.”

Gabriel frowned at his tea. “What will help?”

Crowley’s eyes flicked to the doorway Aziraphale had disappeared through. “Company. Good company, whatever that means for you. There’s a reason the feeling translates that way. For humans, too, in some ways. Eating together is a tradition here for a reason. For Aziraphale, I suspect dining together is nice because he gets love out of it. Although he does actually enjoy the food itself.”

“And what do you get out of it?” Gabriel asked.

“Well, afterwards, traditionally, we get drunk together and argue over whatever nonsense we can think of,” Crowley said, smirking fondly as his angel returned. “Usually I can read Aziraphale well enough to do that without driving him away.”

“And if you can’t?” Gabriel asked, watching the other demon closely.

Crowley shrugged eloquently. “You get used to being a little hollow. To wanting more than you can get.”

Aziraphale ran gentle fingers through Crowley’s hair, just briefly, as he sat. Just as if in passing, but Gabriel could recognize the love in the gesture from both sides, even if he could no longer feel it.

Gabriel felt his jaw working. Why couldn’t everything be simple? Straightforward, like it was in Heaven. In Heaven, he hadn’t needed to think about Love. Love just happened, without any effort or discord. Earth, and being a demon, it was all too complicated and frustrating and… unsure. And he didn’t like that at all.

But he needed something now that Heaven could never offer.

He couldn’t afford to drive these two away before he’d learned all he could from them. Instead of lashing out, he grabbed up one of the intricate little golden-brown discs now sitting on the table and jammed it into his mouth, crushing it into a paste.

Sweet, like the tea, but also… there was the texture, a weight to it, a richness, and a strange sharp flavor. 

“Anise pizzelle,” Aziraphale said with a pleased little smile. “I find they’re lovely for a day when one needs a little distraction.” He took one himself, nibbling it delicately.

Crowley may have been right that they didn’t help dissipate the hunger, but somehow, they did still help. Gabriel nodded his thanks, and took another.

Maybe Aziraphale had had a point all along, about Earth things being worth trying.

A bell sounded, and all three of their heads came up to watch the supposedly-locked door warily. Without looking to see who it was, Crowley reached into an inner pocket and drew out his sunglasses, putting them on again before taking a few steps towards the door.

Gabriel realized then that he had been granted a privilege extended to very few. 

Prince Beelzebub strode inside the door to the book shop.

Aziraphale just stood, watchful, and something in his stance told Gabriel that he stood ready to protect the demons he considered his, by any means necessary.

Aziraphale had always loved so easily, so quickly, anything and anyone that needed it. Gabriel had always seen that as a weakness. Now, it made him terrifying.

Gabriel resolved then never to seriously threaten Crowley. Aziraphale might have adopted Gabriel as one of his own for the moment, but the Principality had made it abundantly clear where his loyalties lay when push came to shove.

Beelzebub was here for Gabriel, most likely. Gabriel was, after all, the only demon among them currently reporting to Hell.

“Beel!” he said, stepping forward. “What’s up?”

“Don't call me that!” Beelzebub snapped.

“Lucifer does,” Gabriel pointed out. 

“Our Lord Below is an exception,” they responded, glaring. “No one else is allowed to call me that.”

Gabriel smirked. “Well, what are you going to do about it, Beel?”

Beelzebub stepped forward slowly, eyeing Gabriel. Then they reached out to smear something unspeakable on the lapel of Gabriel's pristine coat. 

Gabriel's teeth clenched and his tongue worked against the backs of them, writhing in frustration. He took so much pride in his clothes!

He did, didn’t he?

And now, Beelzebub had sullied them to make a point. To get back at Gabriel for calling them a nickname. Because the name bothered Beelzebub. They were mildly but thoroughly annoyed. It was so… satisfying.

“Touchy, touchy, Beezy!” Gabriel said, grinning.

“What did I tell you about addressing me?!” Beez roared. “I am a prince of Hell!”

Gabriel just laughed. “You really think I’m outclassed here? I’m a former fucking Archangel, for Hell’s sake! And I might be a demon now, but I do it well.”

Gabriel could feel them seething inside, but it was a gentle bubble, like a simmering pot. They weren’t about to boil over. And they grinned, sharp and threatening, but still, Gabriel thought, with something like genuine happiness as they looked Gabe up and down. 

“You’ve looked worse,” Beelzebub admitted. They tilted their head to one side. “Finished your assignment, then?”

Gabriel thought about blustering at them, but instead he just smiled back and said, “Lucifer gave me two weeks, and that was, what, yesterday? You want quality work, it’s going to take time.”

“Checking up already?” Crowley interrupted, eyebrows raised above his dark glasses. “Not much of interest happening in the torture pits, then?”

Beelzebub wrinkled their nose. “That’s not your business, traitor.”

Crowley stood, circling as if to view Beelzebub from multiple angles. Then he drew back slightly in surprise.

“You’re lonely,” he said. “Hungry. What, did you and Dagon break up?”

Beelzebub’s face went stony. “It’s not permanent!” they protested. “She’s been busy with… damage control.”

Crowley nodded sarcastically. “Sure, damage control, right. And in Hell, everything is damage control. How long do you think whatever crisis she’s attending to will last?”

“It’s your fault, Crowley!” Beelzebub burst out. “If you hadn’t destroyed Ligur… Hastur wouldn’t need so much  _ dealing with.” _

“She left you for Hastur?!?” Crowley laughed uproariously.

Beelzebub glared. “It’s not funny! You destroyed a fellow demon! Hastur’s partner.”

“True, it’s not,” Crowley said, a bit pointedly. “Exterminating a fellow demon with holy water. It wouldn’t have been my first choice, you know. But Hell wasn’t going to let me go unless I showed my hand a little.”

It was clear from Beelzebub’s eyes that they were remembering whatever it was Crowley had been doing down in Hell with Michael’s holy water while Aziraphale had been Upstairs, breathing spouts of hellfire. They backed up a step.

“I really didn't want to have to do that,” Crowley insisted. “I know what that does to a demon, losing their partner after so long together. Wouldn’t wish it on anyone. Hastur has to be a sinkhole of pain and anger right now. Not surprised Dagon wanted a piece of that. It’d tempt any demon.”

Beez narrowed their eyes. “Except you, for some reason. He said you drove a car through a wall of infernal fire to get away from him.”

Crowley shrugged. “What can I say. I’m happy where I am.”

“A demon? Happy?” Beelzebub scoffed. “That’s impossible.”

“It’s possible.” Crowley fell silent then, just staring at Aziraphale.

“You’ve got to know how to balance the things Heaven does best with the things Hell’s got right,” Aziraphale said, voice gentle but sure as he came forward to stand beside Crowley and take his hand. “Hard to manage if you’re only open to experiencing one, or the other.”

Beelzebub tried to maintain their glare, but couldn’t help glancing sideways at Gabriel.

Gabriel laughed, smiling broadly, and he held out his hand in their direction. “Come on, Beezy,” he said. “I’ve got celebrities to tempt. Want to show me you can do it better?”

He’d never had to put any work into Love, up in Heaven. He’d never learned how to love specifically, instead of generally. But there was one person he’d run into over and over again in the course of his job, and been wary enough of them to pay attention. To get to know them and how they operated. And that was Prince Beelzebub.

So he wasn’t shocked when Beez reached out to take his hand. He was, just a bit, pleasantly surprised. 

Beez hauled on his arm and dragged him bodily out of the shop. “I’ll show you how demons operate, all right,” they snarled. “But you’re going to wish you hadn’t asked.”

Gabriel waved at the angel and the demon in the bookshop, smiling, as he was hauled away.

Aziraphale waved back happily, and Crowley threw him a messy salute.

Gabriel was going to be a magnificent demon.

**Author's Note:**

> That's the series! Thanks for reading! Check out my [fandom/personal blog](https://qwanderer.tumblr.com) or [novelist blog](https://irenewendywode.com) if you wish.


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